1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices and related methods for treating and improving the function of dysfunctional heart valves. More particularly, the invention relates to devices and related methods that passively assist to close a heart valve to improve valve function of poorly functioning valves.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various etiologies may result in heart valve insufficiency depending upon both the particular valve as well as the underlying disease state of the patient. For instance, a congenital defect may be present resulting in poor coaptation of the valve leaflets, such as in the case of a monocusp aortic valve, for example. Valve insufficiency also may result from an infection, such as rheumatic fever, for example, which may cause a degradation of the valve leaflets. Functional regurgitation also may be present. In such cases, the valve components may be normal pathologically, yet may be unable to function properly due to changes in the surrounding environment. Examples of such changes include geometric alterations of one or more heart chambers and/or decreases in myocardial contractility. In any case, the resultant volume overload that exists as a result of an insufficient valve may increase chamber wall stress. Such an increase in stress may eventually result in a dilatory process that further exacerbates valve dysfunction and degrades cardiac efficiency.
Mitral valve regurgitation often may be driven by the functional changes described above. Alterations in the geometric relationship between valvular components may occur for numerous reasons, including events ranging from focal myocardial infarction to global ischemia of the myocardial tissue. Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy also may drive the evolution of functional mitral regurgitation. These disease states often lead to dilatation of the left ventricle. Such dilatation may cause papillary muscle displacement and/or dilatation of the valve annulus. As the papillary muscles move away from the valve annulus, the chordae connecting the muscles to the leaflets may become tethered. Such tethering may restrict the leaflets from closing together, either symmetrically or asymmetrically, depending on the relative degree of displacement between the papillary muscles. Moreover, as the annulus dilates in response to chamber enlargement and increased wall stress, increases in annular area and changes in annular shape may increase the degree of valve insufficiency. Annular dilatation is typically concentrated on the posterior aspect, since this aspect is directly associated with the expanding left ventricular free wall and not directly attached to the fibrous skeleton of the heart. Annular dilatation also may result in a flattening of the valve annulus from its normal saddle shape.
Alterations in functional capacity also may cause valve insufficiency. In a normally functioning heart, the mitral valve annulus contracts during systole to assist in leaflet coaptation. Reductions in annular contractility commonly observed in ischemic or idiopathic cardiomyopathy patients therefore hamper the closure of the valve. Further, in a normal heart, the papillary muscles contract during the heart cycle to assist in maintaining proper valve function. Reductions in or failure of the papillary muscle function also may contribute to valve regurgitation. This may be caused by infarction at or near the papillary muscle, ischemia, or other causes, such as idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, for example.
The degree of valve regurgitation may vary, especially in the case of functional insufficiency. In earlier stages of the disease, the valve may be able to compensate for geometric and/or functional changes in a resting state. However, under higher loading resulting from an increase in output requirement, the valve may become incompetent. Such incompetence may only appear during intense exercise, or alternatively may be induced by far less of an exertion, such as walking up a flight of stairs, for example.
Conventional techniques for managing mitral valve dysfunction include either surgical repair or replacement of the valve or medical management of the patient. Medical management typically applies only to early stages of mitral valve dysfunction, during which levels of regurgitation are relatively low. Such medical management tends to focus on volume reductions, such as diuresis, for example, or afterload reducers, such as vasodilators, for example.
Early attempts to surgically treat mitral valve dysfunction focused on replacement technologies. In many of these cases, the importance of preserving the native subvalvular apparatus was not fully appreciated and many patients often acquired ventricular dysfunction or failure following the surgery. Though later experience was more successful, significant limitations to valve replacement still exist. For instance, in the case of mechanical prostheses, lifelong therapy with powerful anticoagulants may be required to mitigate the thromboembolic potential of these devices. In the case of biologically derived devices, in particular those used as mitral valve replacements, the long-term durability may be limited. Mineralization induced valve failure is common within ten years, even in older patients. Thus, the use of such devices in younger patient groups is impractical.
Another commonly employed repair technique involves the use of annuloplasty rings. These rings originally were used to stabilize a complex valve repair. Now, they are more often used alone to improve mitral valve function. An annuloplasty ring has a diameter that is less than the diameter of the enlarged valve annulus. The ring is placed in the valve annulus and the tissue of the annulus sewn or otherwise secured to the ring. This causes a reduction in the annular circumference and an increase in the leaflet coaptation area. Such rings, however, generally flatten the natural saddle shape of the valve and hinder the natural contractility of the valve annulus. This may be true even when the rings have relatively high flexibility.
To further reduce the limitations of the therapies described above, purely surgical techniques for treating valve dysfunction have evolved. Among these surgical techniques is the Alfiere stitch or so-called bowtie repair. In this surgery, a suture is placed substantially centrally across the valve orifice between the posterior and anterior leaflets to create leaflet apposition. Another surgical technique includes plication of the posterior annular space to reduce the cross-sectional area of the valve annulus. A limitation of each of these techniques is that they typically require opening the heart to gain direct access to the valve and the valve annulus. This generally necessitates the use of cardiopulmonary bypass, which may introduce additional morbidity and mortality to the surgical procedures. Additionally, for each of these procedures, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to evaluate the efficacy of the repair prior to the conclusion of the operation.
Due to these drawbacks, devising effective techniques that could improve valve function without the need for cardiopulmonary bypass and without requiring major remodeling of the valve may be advantageous. In particular, passive techniques to change the shape of the heart chamber and associated valve and/or reduce regurgitation while maintaining substantially normal leaflet motion may be desirable. Further, advantages may be obtained by a technique that reduces the overall time a patient is in surgery and under the influence of anesthesia. It also may be desirable to provide a technique for treating valve insufficiency that reduces the risk of bleeding associated with anticoagulation requirements of cardiopulmonary bypass. In addition, a technique that can be employed on a beating heart would allow the practitioner an opportunity to assess the efficacy of the treatment and potentially address any inadequacies without the need for additional bypass support.